Improvement in abdominal supporters



CY RENESMITH. ABDOMIV'NAL svrromm.

Patented May 2,1876.

N- PETERS, PMOTO-LITHOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON. D. C.-

- specification the abdomen.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

cYR NE SMITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.-

1' IMPROVEMENT IN ABDOMINAL SUPPORTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [76.895, dated May 2, 1876; application filed November 6, 1875.

'of the city, county, and State of New York,

have invented a new and Improved Abdominal Supporter, of which the following is a Figures 1 and 2 represent respectively front and side views of my improved abdominal supporter, shown as applied to the body; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the supporter detached, showing the back part and interior of the front portion of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts. I

The object of my invention is to furnish an abdominal supporter that may be readily adjusted to conform itself to the varying shape and condition of the body of the wearer, so as to fit neatly and comfortably to the abdomen, and support the weight of the same without causing painful sensation, being main- 1y adapted to the treatment of the various diseases incident to the displacement of the uterus, and a relaxed state of the abdominal parts,and for the use of women in enceinte state,

,The invention consists of a supporter that is laced at the back, and adjusted by upper front and lower rear gussets, with lacingstrings, in connection with tl1e front and side" gussets, with elastic bands, to the condition of The front part is stiffened by stays, and extended to sufiicient length to take 7 up and-support, by a curved anterior pad, the

weight of the abdomen, and transfer it to the hips and back.

.In'the drawing, A represents an abdominal supporter that is provided in the usual manner with side and rear stiffening, whalebones, or stays, and laced at the back.

The rear or back portion of the supporter is of lesser width than the front part, which gradually increases in width until the lower front part extends below the point of greatest expansion of the abdomen, and is thereby enabled to take up and support the same.

The supporter A is arranged with front and rear gussets and lacing-strings B, that may be adjusted and adapted to the exact size and condition of the abdomen, so as to be fitted 1 perfectly and comfortably to the body. The

front gussets B extend symmetrically at both sides of the front stays 0, from the upper edge downward, while the rear gussets extend in similar manner from the lower edge upward.

For the purpose of adapting the supporter to the expansion and'contraction of the body without producing disagreeable or painful sensations, as the same occupies different positions, an upper-front gusset, D,'with elastic bands, 41, and two lowersidegussets, D, with elastic bands, I), are arranged intermediately between the laced gusssets (J. These elastic vgussets serve in connection with the laced adjustable gussets to conform the supporter, not only snugly to the general shape of the abdomen, but also to the state of the same in different positions-in walking, sitting, or bendingso that a-feeling of great comfort and case, without any cramping or drawing, is imparted to the abdominal parts of the body. The supporter is retained in thefront parts in distended state by the strong front stays U, which run down from points at both sides of the elastic fronts of gussets D to the lower extremity of the front part, where they gradually approach each other, being confined by suitable rivets.- To the inside of the lower front partof the supporter is attached a curved pad, E, whose centralpart is higher than the ends, and which serves to support the abdomen at the lowermost point, first lit'ting the same and throwing its weight in upward direction, and transferring and distrib- 'uting. it then by the supporter to the hips and back of the body.

' This raising up the body is, in many cases of uterine displacement and pregnancy, of special advantage, as it furnishes direct and steady support, relieves thereby the abdominal muscles from strain, and defines and re- Mas. OYRENE SMITH. Witnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, T. B. Mosrma. 

